Artists - the authors of the most expensive paintings in the world

ARTinvestment.RU – 19.07.2008,06:59

1. Pablo Picasso . Boy with a pipe. 1905. Sotheby `s. 05.05.04. 104.17 million dollars
2. Gustav Klimt . Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II. 1912. Christie's. 08.11.06. 87936 million
3. Francis Bacon . Triptych 1976. Sotheby's. 14.05.08. 86281 million
4. Vincent Van Gogh . Portrait of Doctor Gachet. 1890. Christie's. 15.05.90. 82.5 million dollars
5. Claude Monet . A pond with water lilies. Christie's. 24.06.08. 80.45 million dollars
6. Auguste Renoir . Moulin de la Galette (Moulin de la Galette). 1876. Sotheby `s. 17.05.90. 78.1 million dollars
7. Peter Paul Rubens . Beating up babies. Sotheby `s. 10.07.02. 76.7 million dollars
8. Mark Rothko . White Center (Yellow, pink and pale lilac to dark pink). 1950. Sotheby's, 15.05.07. 72.8 million dollars
9. Andy Warhol . Green road accident (burning green machine - 1). 1963. Christie's. 17.05.07. 71720 million
10. Paul Cezanne . Still Life with Jug and drapery. Approx. 1893-1894. Sotheby `s. 10.05.99. 60.5 million dollars

Pablo Picasso Boy with a pipe. 1905. Oil on canvas. 99,7 h81, 3. Estimeyt: on request. Sale price: 93 million Sotheby `s. 05.05.04. Lot number 7

1. Pablo Picasso. Boy with a pipe. 1905. Sotheby `s. 05.05.04. 104.17 million

Authorship most expensive in the world to have ever sold at auction, belonged to the great Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). Multi-master, the founder of Cubism, the artist has succeeded as a painter, graphic artist, sculptor and ceramist, his style (or rather, many styles), many imitators, he had a strong influence on the development of twentieth century art.

So far, the price point of $ 100 million through open competitive deals only managed to overcome the main modernist twentieth century. In 2004, Sotheby's auction unidentified buyer purchased the work of Pablo Picasso «Boy with a pipe» (Garson a la Pipe) in 1905 to 104,168 million dollars. The starting price of work - 70 million - an unprecedented amount of art for the market. The high cost of the work is due, firstly, the perfect picture provenansom, and secondly, its uniqueness: the early work of Picasso appeared on the market very seldom, almost all pictures «pink» and the «blue» periods are in museum collections.

Reproductions «Boy with a pipe» published almost all the books on Picasso (from the article by Jean Cocteau in 1923 to catalog, reason), the canvas has been exhibited in the most prestigious museums of the world, including the Tate Gallery London and New York Museum of Modern Art. The fate of the painting can be traced, starting from 1910. In 1950 th masterpiece «pink period» acquired wife Whitney, who later transferred it, along with a large collection of works of art to a charity fund Greentree Foundation, which is engaged in human rights activities, as well as international educational projects. Collection Heya John Whitney is considered one of the best collections of impressionist art and artists of the XX century.

«Boy with a pipe» written in 1905, when the artist lived and worked, and very successfully, in Paris. Nevertheless, the «creative calendar» Picasso, this period - the early, dokubistsky and, incidentally, the most valuable. Cloth refers to a rare category of master for any sign of paintings: it marked a transition from artist «blue» period «pink». Precedents of auction sales of works by Picasso and a level of this period (at the same time was written, in particular, «The Girl on a Ball», held in the Pushkin Museum to them. Alexander Pushkin) no, and it is the uniqueness of the lot has a fierce struggle for the picture.

interesting that Picasso is considered one of the «productive» artists: on the market involves several thousand of his works. But the mass provided mainly at a later work, which cost several times cheaper. Sometimes feel that the author pictures «blue» or «pink» periods at the turn of the century, Picasso and the Cubists aging Maître twentieth-century art, which he began after the Second World War - it is three different people, three different artists.

It is suggested that the buyer «Boy with a pipe» was Russian. If so, then the name is anyone's guess, but interest from buyers of our country to work by Picasso is obvious - for example, 3 May 2006, a Russian purchased at New York's Sotheby's auction of Picasso canvas «Dora MAARIV the cat» of 95 million dollars and if we were not top authors, and the most expensive work, the result surely would have won it second place.

Gustav Klimt Portrait of Adele Bloch - Bauer II. 1912. Oil on canvas. 190h120. Estimeyt: 40-60 million Sale price: U.S. $ 78.5 million Christie's. 08.11.06. Lot number 54

2. Gustav Klimt. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II. 1912. Christie's. 08.11.06. 87936 million dollars

Strictly speaking, «Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II» (1912) - this is not the most expensive of the best-known works of Gustav Klimt. Shortly before the record deal was another auction - private closed, and therefore its results can not be used for ranking. However, the result is known, precisely, is not refuted. Another picture of the same ladies - «Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I» in 1907 - was brokered by Christie's bought in summer 2006 perfume magnate Ronald Lauder for 135 million dollars. At that time the amount was the largest ever paid for a work of art (and then it interrupted a private transaction with the work of Jackson Pollock, bought for 160 million dollars). So what is formally the most expensive auction fathomable left hand Klimt «Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II» in 1912, which was sold at Christie's auction on 8 November 2006 for 87.9 million dollars in the collector, who wishes to remain anonymous. The same day, were sold paintings Klimt Houses in Unterach on Lake Atter (Hauser in Unterach am Attersee, 1916); Apple Tree I (Apfelbaum I, about 1912) and Birch Forest (Buchenwald) - a total of 103.4 million dollars.

This glove wonder where such an abundance of masterpieces of the artist, whose work is rarely appear on auction? And then just four canvas, and even a museum level. Rede is simple: in fact, from the museum they have. At the auction, they came as a result of a long restorative dispute. Both the portrait and other paintings by Klimt were in the family of Ferdinand and Adele Bloch-Bauer, a rich saharozavodchika. 43-year-old Adel died of meningitis in 1925, and she bequeathed the painting were to be transferred to the Austrian government after the death of Ferdinand. In 1938, Austria was annexed by France, Germany, Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer has managed to escape to Switzerland. Paintings same Jewish saharozavodchika, including several of Klimt, confiscated, and then part of them was sent to the Austrian Gallery Belvedere, and the part out. Even in Switzerland, Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer rewrote a testament to the children of his brother. Until our days are lived only Maria (by the husband Altman), which has already turned 90 years old. She left Austria in the United States in 1942. The dispute over the property has been confiscated since 2000. The Austrian Government to appeal to a bequest, the heirs - to another. As a result, an Austrian arbitration court upheld the position of the U.S. Supreme Court and agreed to return five Klimt works heirs, led by Maria Altmann.

This solution is not easy and dalos stunned Austrians. In 2006, there were even reports that the Government has urged citizens to purchase the canvas to keep the national heritage in the country. Then the value of five canvases (including the portrait, bought at a later date Lauder), experts rated at least 245 million dollars. Even planned to issue a bond on Klimt. When the idea failed, Belvedere out of harm's way has been forced to remove paintings from the exhibition (including the pressure of anonymous threats to destroy paintings that they do not go to the heirs).

Gustav Klimt (Gustav Klimt, 1862-1918) - a recognized innovator, the founder of the Vienna Secession (an institution refused to academism in the works), the artist, not once have shocked the public into its already far from being puritanical. The name of Klimt stably associated mysterious rumors that in the garden of the artist, where he drew inspiration, went naked women, including the ladies of aristocratic circles. Klimt was a very in demand has in life, and he was able to achieve recognition as the official authorities, becoming voplotitelem ideas of national symbolism (in 1883 by Emperor Franz Joseph I even decorated its main imperial award available Austrian artists - Golden Order of Merit), and favors the most powerful and wealthy private customers. Decorativeness, sophistication and eroticism Klimt works made them welcome in the luxurious interior decoration of houses in the early twentieth century. And I have to say that over time this desire that little has changed.

Selling heirs Klimt works from the collection of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer - a unique case where things have appeared on the market world «museum» of scale in the literal sense of the word. The works of this level appear in the market every few decades, and therefore rates so high.

Francis Bacon Triptych. 1976. Oil on canvas, pastel. 198h147, 5. Estimeyt: on request. Sale price: 77 million Sotheby's. 14.05.08. Lot number 33

3. Francis Bacon. Triptych 1976. Sotheby's. 14.05.08. 86281 million dollars

paintings «Triptych 1976» Francis Bacon at Sotheby's auction in New York on May 14, 2008 to 86,281 million dollars has become a double-record: record prices for works by the artist, whose works long and firmly settled in the list of the most expensive, and an annual record for the entire art market. Work began with a significant excess of the 70 millionth estimeyta. From this moment, Bacon took the honorary third place in a dozen authors - the leaders of auction sales.

It should be noted that the place of a dozen authors of the most expensive works of Bacon moved in recent years consistently and persistently. Prior to the May auction of the largest sum paid for the picture of the artist, was 52.7 million dollars. It is so much to pay the new owner of the canvas «Theme from Pope Innocent X» after story of Diego Velazquez. It was in New York in May 2007. Almost the same amount was sold at Christie's London auction in February of this year's Triptych 1974-1977.

As for the «triptych 1976», a Sotheby's experts believe this is the product of the most significant work of the artist, is in private hands.

At the time of the creation of a triptych the British painter Francis Bacon was the already widely recognized, has represented Britain at the Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art, exhibited in major museums around the world, held a huge and bustling exhibition at Paris Grand Palais. His paintings are already expensive cost - which, incidentally, has not affected the marginal life style artist. As to the style of his paintings: canvases Bacon continues to be shown naked nerves (after 1971, many of the artists were devoted to the death of his lover, George Dyer).

surreal tragedy Bacon - the descendant of the famous philosopher and his full namesake - fascinate contemporaries, though Bacon identify themselves to the classical realists. «Nothing can be worse than life itself», - thought that the genius of modern art.

Notably, the new owner of the work, according to the press, became a Russian collector. The newspaper Sunday Times, referring to «reliable», refers to a mysterious buyer «triptych 1976» Roman Abramovich. In Western media actively discussed assumption that the acquisition of paintings by Bacon and several other prominent twentieth-century innovators Abramovich inspired his 26-year-old girlfriend Daria Zhukova, who is fond of art and this fall opened in Moscow Center of Contemporary Culture «CCC Moscow».

Vincent Van Gogh Portrait of Doctor Gachet. 1890. Oil on canvas. 66h57. Estimeyt: 40-50 million Sale price: 75 million Christie's. 15.05.90. Lot number 21

4. Vincent Van Gogh. Portrait of Doctor Gachet. 1890. Christie's. 15.05.90. 82.5 million dollars

A very long time - from 1990 to 2004 - garland in the rating of the sponsors of the most expensive works of art as a result of post-auction sale of Vincent van Gogua (1853-1890). His «Portrait of Doctor Gachet» (Portrait du Docteur Gachet), written by the artist shortly before his death, was bought by a Japanese millionaire Reei Saito at auction Sotheby's in May 1990 for 82.5 million dollars.

History of the pictures turned out to be akin to detective: in 1896 the portrait was sold to the wife of the artist's brother, Theo van Gogh, the famous dealer pictures, then it is long passed from hand to hand. Next symbolic message it refers to the end of the 1930's, when the cloth fell into a museum in Frankfurt, but in 1938, after the exhibition held in Munich «Degenerative art», picture «become» the Nazis, but it soon resold the collection Kramarskogo. Then the picture was in the United States, which had emigrated from Holland to escape the Nazis, its new owners. After their death, the heirs decided to sell the portrait and put it up for auction in New York in 1990. The picture for the above amount has acquired Japanese millionaire, tycoon Reei Saito, who bequeathed it to bury itself, together with the masterpiece. After the death of Saito in 1996 the exact location «Portrait of Doctor Gachet» for a long time proved not know what gave rise to a lot of guesswork.

The point is that Saito attack in anger, because in Japan he had to pay very high taxes (around 24 million dollars a year), said that the picture with him going into the grave. The heirs of a millionaire refused to talk about the fate of a masterpiece, thus depressing assumption. However, recently some light shed on the fate of the painting, one of the leaders of the Tokyo auction house Kionori Yamamoto, reported that the painting was sold in the United States of «reasonable price» - from 87 to 130 million dollars. Name the new owner is not disclosed. Some time later, it was reported that all this time, the picture held in a Japanese bank vault - Saito creditor but the bank deliberately kept silent, that his name not been associated with failures of the borrower. Whatever the case may be, but still in all major publications of Van Goge, including catalogs, «Portrait of Doctor Gachet» accompanied by the note «whereabouts unknown».

On the one hand, the history of painting coated weight of secrets, including the insane: suppose that a person of sound mind as a last will can be expressed the desire to carry a grave picture of Van Gogh - almost impossible. At the same time it is in the spirit of the artist. Or, more precisely, our understanding of it. Indeed, part of the legend of Van Goge - his madness, which enabled him to look at such depths, which are not mere mortals. Strictly speaking, therefore, such an interest and a «Portrait of Doctor Gachet» - the attending physician of the hospital for the mentally ill. However, in respect of the doctor himself Van Gogh made a mysterious phrase: «First of all, it is much less healthy than I am, or at least, is as ill».

On the other hand, hiding the real location of a masterpiece can be quite prosaic explanation. If the portrait is actually there, then it is possible that the current owner, whoever he may be, feared a repetition of the history of restorative Klimt paintings. In 1937, «Portrait of Doctor Gachet» helper Goring was confiscated in Frankfurt Institute Shtadelya. So, he announced today, on the background of precedents with Klimt paintings and Malevich, the legitimate owner is unlikely to retreat from its rights.

Over 101 years of unprecedented sales and «Portrait of Doctor Gachet» Vincent prophetically wrote to his brother, Theo: «The practice in the trade in works of art, when prices rise after the death of the author, survived up to now ... the highest prices, which speak, and which were paid for work already deceased artists, when their lives would not have risen since - it is something like the tulips of trade, when the artist lived more minuses than pluses ».

Claude Monet A pond with water lilies. 1919. Oil on canvas. 100,4 h201. Estimeyt: 18-24 million pounds. Sale price: 40.9 million pounds. Christie's. 24.06.08. Lot number 16

5. Claude Monet. A pond with water lilies. Christie's. 24.06.08. 80.45 million dollars

The last time the record of auction sales - is 80.5 million dollars to an unidentified buyer paid for the painting by Claude Monet «pond with water lilies». In fact, that this painting will set a new record for the artist, no one doubted, especially since last May at New York Christie's auction landscape by Claude Monet «Railway bridge in Arzhanteye» was sold for 42 million dollars. But here the traditional and famous story of Monet - water lilies, so collectors, and auction organizers, and journalists were willing to sensation. However, such a high price did not expect anybody, especially the representatives of Christie's, as evidenced by a modest in comparison with a finite amount estimeyt (36-48 million dollars). For works by Claude Monet has always paid much, much, now he joined the «highest price league».

however, is puzzling is not the sum and not the name of the artist, but then what of his paintings was purchased for a record price. This product is not an innovator who founded the new scenic areas, not an experimenter in the field of light and color (the period of the famous Rouen Cathedral series of images at different times of day), and the elderly, even a PC and an artist, is rapidly losing its chief «tool» -- vision. Painting «pond with water lilies» was written in 1919 and is part of a series of four works, a common theme. Around since the early 1900-ies Monet begins to replicate its earlier and already well-known works, however, by changing a few colors. At the end of days, the artist sought to create decorative panels, which became a favorite motif was kuvshinok on patterns of surface water - the results can be seen today in Paris Rooflights Tuileries, where 14 giant canvases of an infinite series. However, it is not even that in this period, the artist began to go blind, and his paintings have become shade patterns and monotony of ... In the 1919-meters have already become classics, and post-impressionist paintings, and even the objects of the past in search of modern ornament and decoration (with the which is often linked to late period of the art of Claude Monet), and has ten years of peace won cubism and other «izmy» ... A «A pond with water lilies» shows the same reflections, glare and «blurring» picture - all the way or nearly so, as it was in the 1870's, when the impressionist were rebels and innovators. In short, the old energy and sense of color in this picture is less.

Auguste Renoir Moulin de la Galette (Moulin de la Galette ). 1876. Oil on canvas. 78h114. Estimeyt: 40-50 million Sale price: 71 million Sotheby `s. 17.05.90. Lot number 24

6. Auguste Renoir. Moulin de la Galette (Moulin de la Galette). 1876. Sotheby `s. 17.05.90. 78.1 million dollars

Today, each auction sale on fabulous price suggests (and reasonable) of the same name, but it turns out, in 1990-m it was the predecessor - the same millionaire Reei Saito. In a day (!) After it acquired the «Portrait of Doctor Gachet» Van Gogh for 82.5 million dollars, 17 May 1990 at Sotheby's, the eccentric Japanese bought a picture of Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) «Moulin de la Galette »for 78.1 million dollars. Such large sums paid to one person for the picture, then this became a sensation in the world of antiques (one that now surprise!) And strengthened the position of Impressionist and post as «blue chips» art market.

in the auction catalog, and press releases prior to bidding, Sotheby's identified the picture «Moulin de la Galette» (Moulin de la Galette, 1876) as «the most quality work Renoir, first appeared on the market». Potential buyers responded, and the canvas went under the hammer for a huge amount.

noteworthy that, although the picture belongs to the category of a textbook in the works of Renoir, after the death of the artist show the public only once, at an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum in 1937. Meanwhile, the picture painted at the time the artist, when the scandalous Impressionist exhibition in 1874 in the atelier Nadari had come to him success and recognition, but his style finally formed. Sold at auction in 1990 was the work of the author's repetition of the famous «Moulin de la Galette» the same year, stored in the Orsay Museum in Paris. Joyful and likuyuschee mood canvases rife with sunshine, love and light-hearted fun, a business card of the artist.

In addition to obvious high quality of painting, as well as loud the name of the author, the special value (not even money - obschekulturnuyu) of this painting Renoir attached that can be considered a kind of manifesto of Impressionism - along with the famous canvases «Impression. Sunrise »Claude Monet and« A Picnic »Édouard Manet. Everything is there, for which value the Impressionists: and extracted from a life story (the theme for the Renoir paintings found near the house, on Montmartre, in the street Cortot, in the same restaurant «Moulin de la Galette»), and plein air (in order to write a scene from nature and not in the studio, the artist had to make a large canvas in the garden, where light, playing, through the acacia leaves, land put to sleep and clothes dancing blue and pink highlights). In addition, the artist not only accurately and vividly conveyed the atmosphere of the dance hall monmartrskogo 1870's, where on weekends going to dance and counterman from shopkeepers, seamstresses, and young artists, writers and actresses, but also depicted in the picture his friends, prominent representatives of the then Parisian Bohemia - Spanish artist Don Pedro Vidal de Solaresa, painters Henri Gervais and Frederick cord and journalist Paul Lot. In general, if a collector would want to provide in its collection all of the major trends in painting, the «Moulin de la Galette» Renoir on the right would be a perfect reflection of the essence of Impressionism.

purchase this painting for 78.1 million dollars at that time was very disappointing business. Soon the crisis broke out, and works of the Impressionists had fallen in value by nearly twenty percent. The boom is back only a few years. For certain it is not known what happened to painting after the death of a Japanese collector, the data is not open auction, but unconfirmed rumors, Saito canvas from the collection were sold in 1998 for $ 50 million buyer, whose name has not been disclosed. However, the auction can not be directly compared with the amounts neafishiruemyh private transactions.

Peter Paul Rubens Childermas. Approx. 1609-1611. Oak board, oil. 142x182. Estimeyt: 4-6 million pounds. Sale price: 45 million pounds. Sotheby `s. 10.07.02. Lot number 6

7. Peter Paul Rubens. Beating up babies. Sotheby `s. 10.07.02. 76.7 million dollars

Among the leaders of auction sales represented entirely impressionist, post-modernists and, suddenly appeared and one of the main «Old Masters» - famous Fleming Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). In July 2002, at Sotheby's auction of his paintings «Childermas» was sold for 76.7 million dollars. The buyer was a Canadian businessman and collector Kenneth Thomson.

It is unusual that a high price to just the canvas for easy evangelic story - it seemed more popular would have to use, for example, «Bacchanalia» with pyshnotelymi beauties. But - no. One of the most brutal scenes of New Testament - executed by soldiers of the monstrous order of Herod the king.

This is why, perhaps, the organizers of trades carefully evaluated in view of 6 million pounds. However, at the tender flared grave struggle between the four buyers. Ultimately, the canvas for 49.5 million pounds purchased the London manuscripts dealer, who spoke in favor of an anonymous buyer. As it turned out later, this buyer was a Canadian collector, David Thomson, son of newspaper magnate Lord Thomson, the former owner of the London Times.

Maybe the reason so much buzz has been high, «museum», level of canvases - not without reason for it at auction fought the representatives of a number of museums including the Museum of John Paul Getty in Los Angeles. His role has been and unexpected discovery, made by the auction house expert on Flemish painting of George Gordon. The point is that until recently the picture attribute to one of the disciples of Rubens, but George Gordon, after examining the similarities between «Childermas» and the famous painting by Rubens «Samson and Dalila» from the collections of the National Gallery of London, suggested that the authorship belongs not to the student, and teacher. While the leading experts and researchers have confirmed the withdrawal of paintings by Rubens of British experts, the auction house, obviously, until recently, were not confident that they got a real masterpiece of the master, who could decorate, without exaggeration, a museum collection.

Mark Rothko White Center (Yellow, pink and pale lilac to dark pink). 1950. Oil on canvas. 205,8 x141. Estimeyt: on request. Sale price: 65 million Sotheby's. 15.05.07. Lot number 31

8. Mark Rothko. White Center (Yellow, pink and pale lilac to dark pink). 1950. Sotheby's, 15.05.07. 72.8 million dollars

One of the most mysterious artists of our time. His life as if weaving of contradictions - in search of creative, in deeds, the gestures ... regarded as one of the ideologues, and certainly a key figure in American abstract expressionism, Rothko did not make, when his work called abstract. In the past, well knew that such a half-life, he had defiantly returned to customers absolutely fantastic in terms of current cash advance, leaving himself almost completely finished the work. Zhdavshy its success and ability to earn a living painting of almost fifty years, he deliberately refused to people who can if they wish to destroy his career (which has often happened in history). At least socialist at heart, shared the ideas of Marx, hostile falling into richer and more wealth, Rothko finally became the author of the most expensive paintings in the world, which actually turned into the attribute of high status of their owners. (Shutka whether record «White Center», sold for 65 million dollars, came from the Rockefeller family.) Dream of a mass audience, was ultimately the creator of the paintings are still understood only a narrow circle of intellectuals and connoisseurs, not counting the people's recognition that the fact that the artist has become a brand name and high images have been separate for advertising characters. Finally, seeking a conversation with God through the music of his canvases, the artist, whose work became the central design element in the church of all religions ( http://rothkochapel.org ), ended his life a desperate act bogoborcheskim ...

Rothko, remember pale and Cossacks, is unlikely to be much like what it considered to Russian artists. However, anti-Semitism in America and missed the thirties, is not accidental artist «cut» generic name. But we call it Russian is not without reason. To begin with - by birth. Dvinsk Latvia, Daugavpils present at the time of the birth of Marcus Rotkovicha - is part of Russia, and it will remain so until the collapse of the empire, until 1918. However, the revolution is no longer sees Rothko. In 1913, the boy is taken in the United States, the family moved to Portland, Oregon. That is, childhood and adolescence were held in Russia, there was formed the perception of life, mind. Besides the fact that here he was born, in Russia Rothko connect, what is interesting, and philosophical themes and conflicts. We know that he valued the works of Dostoyevsky. His own art connoisseurs contradict a number of works by Malevich: if the black box - this is the end of painting, the color stains Rothko - is its continuation. And even at the level of passion Rothko made vice, which is associated in the world do it with the Russians. No argument, but another stroke of coherence in life Russian artist.

For their pioneering discoveries in painting Rothko was a long 15 years. Through the figurative many hobbies, including surrealism and figurative expressionism, in the mid 1940's Rothko is to simplify the structure of his pictures by limiting the expressive means of a few colorful blocks that form a particular song. The intellectual foundation of his works - it is almost always a question of interpretation. Rothko usually did not give direct answers, looking forward to aiding the viewer in thinking about work. The only thing in that it is definitely expected to - on the emotional work of the viewer. His paintings are not for recreation, not for relaxation and not for the «visual Massage». They are designed for empathy. Some see in them a window to look into the soul of the viewer, while others - the door to another world. There is an opinion (perhaps the closest to the truth), that his color field - this is the metaphorical image of God.

Decorative force «color fields» due to a number of special techniques used by Rothko. His paintings do not suffer massive frame - a maximum-edge thin dies, and then the color of the canvas. The edges of the paintings the artist deliberately toned in the gradient so that the field is lost picturesque border. Fuzzy boundaries internal squares - is also welcome, without a way to create a contrast effect of flicker, apparent overlap of blocks of color, pulsation spots like the flicker of light electric lamps. This dilution of color in color and soft transitions especially managed oil before Rothko on opaque acrylic in the late sixties. And it found the effect of electric pulses increases, while the picture at close range. According to the artist's paintings the viewer trehmetrovye best viewed from a distance of no more than half.

Today Rothko painting - the pride of all the famous Museum of Modern Art. For example, the Tate Gallery in England is Rothko Room, which are nine pictures of those that were written under a contract with a restaurant Four Seasons. C this project is quite indicative of the nature of Rothko history. In 1959, for the artist, on the recommendation of the owners turned fashionable restaurant «seasons», opened in an unusual New York skyscraper Seagram Building (under the name of the company - the manufacturer of alcohol). The value of the contract in terms of current money was almost three million dollars - a very significant even for a fee of a recognized artist, which at that time was already Rothko. Nevertheless, when the work was nearly finished, Rothko unexpectedly returned to the advance and refused to send her employer. Among the main causes of sudden act biographer saw reluctance to please the ruling class and wealthy to entertain for dinner. There is also a feeling that Rothko upset to learn that his paintings do not see the rank and file employees who work in the building. However, the latest version looks far too romantic.

After nearly 10 years of canvases produced for the Four Seasons, Rothko donated to the London Tate Gallery. On a bitter twist of fate 25 Feb, 1970, on the day when the boxes with pictures of English have reached the port, the artist was found dead in his studio - to cut veins, and (perhaps to insure) a huge dose of sleeping pills in her stomach.

Rothko art today is experiencing another wave of sincere interest. Are workshops, open exhibitions, published monographs. On the bank of the Daugava River, the home of the artist, a monument.

Rothko Works on the market are not very rare (such as paintings by Malevich). Every year the auction of his paintings alone, not including the graphics, exhibited about 10-15 pieces. That is not the deficit, but for them to pay millions and tens of millions of dollars. And these prices are unlikely to be accidental. Rather it is a tribute to its innovation, the desire to create new layers of meanings and to join a creative phenomenon of one of the most enigmatic of Russian artists.

Andy Warhol Green automobile accident (a burning green machine - 1). 1963. Synthetic fabric, silkscreen, acrylic, linen canvas. 228,6 x203, 2. Estimeyt: 25-35 million Sale price: 64 million Christie's. 16.05.07. Lot number 15

9. Andy Warhol. Green road accident (burning green machine - 1). 1963. Christie's. 17.05.07. 71720 million dollars

It would be strange if, in the top ten authors of the most expensive in the world of work has not got the King of Pop Art, Andy Warhol (1928-1987). Then would have to admit that the mass consciousness and the choice of collectors - the two will not communicating vessels. Because it is unlikely to Warhol is not the most popular artist of the twentieth century. Although not Warhol «invented» Pop Art, he became the face of this trend. He not only ridiculed the cult of consumption, and to introduce these ideas in the art (while preserving in their works an element of irony), has created a new direction, which brought together a range of followers.

In May 2007, at Christie's auction in New York was sold to the most expensive to date picture of Andy Warhol «Green road accident» 1963. Unnamed buyer paid for its 71.7 million dollars, almost double the preliminary assessment of the lot, which amounted to 25-35 million dollars.

«Green road accident» is part of a series «The Death and misfortune», in which the artist, drawing pictures, reflecting the tragic road accidents. The source of the impression, later visualized Warhol in «green car», was the accident in Seattle. On the canvas picture is repeated several times with car seats, published more than forty years ago in the magazine Newsweek. It depicts 24-year-old driver, povisshy on a telephone pole, which he ran to escape police harassment.

hard to say that today the greater draws to creations Warhol collectors brand notorious «irony», or a philosophical subtext ... but the fact that in 1962 could be bought for 100 dollars (then worth so much «Banks soup Campbell »), and in 1978 - a few tens of thousands, are now worth millions - in particular, the same« Green road accident », exactly thirty years ago, sold at Christie's London for 69 thousand dollars.

PAUL Cézanne Still Life with Jug and drapery. Approx. 1893-1894. Oil on canvas. 59,5 x73. Estimeyt: 25-35 million Sale price: U.S. $ 55 million Sotheby `s, 10.05.99. Lot number 23

10. PAUL Cézanne. Still Life with Jug and drapery. Approx. 1893-1894. Sotheby `s. 10.05.99. 60.5 million dollars

top authors completed the most expensive in the world of Paul Cezanne (1839-1906). We can say that this is a tribute to the discovery and search of the artist, laid the foundations of cubism, and a number of other areas of the twentieth century. Noteworthy that in an auction for a record amount was purchased it was that classic and so typical of Cezanne painting - «Still Life with Jug and drapery». This still life is a series of six works, depicting the same subjects. The painting was sold at Sotheby's in 1999 for 60.5 million dollars.

This work demonstrated the most striking features of the artist's manner: the desire to bring all items to the geometric shapes - cylinder, ball and cone, the clarity of color, monumentality of form. If impressionist tried to catch the changing features of nature, the Cezanne created «paintings for museums», passing the firm part of life. He managed to combine a picture of several points of view on subjects, combining the techniques of direct and inverse perspective, preparing the transition to Cubism. His still lifes, he wrote a long, carefully checked the image. The findings have created a whole army of Cezanne his ideological followers, «sezannistov», divide and develop the artist's ideas. His influence on the art world turn of the century and, of course, Russian art (remember «Knave of Diamonds») is difficult to overestimate.

Anna Savitskaya

Source: ARTinvestment.RU